


Cat at the Carnival

by LilBittyMonster



Series: Mollymauk Lives Fest [7]
Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern with Magic, Fluff, Free day, M/M, Modern AU, Mollymauk Lives Fest, Multi, Nonbinary Character, bg fjord/jester, for anyone who's in Upstate NY this is basically a Seabreeze AU, just pure carnival fluff, kinda got away from me, theme park
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-08
Updated: 2018-09-08
Packaged: 2019-07-08 10:31:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,072
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15928601
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LilBittyMonster/pseuds/LilBittyMonster
Summary: The Mighty Nein go to the Fletching & Moondrop amusement park for a day





	Cat at the Carnival

**Author's Note:**

> Day 7: Free Day

“Oh, there they are, there they are!” Jester pointed excitedly, pulling Fjord along with her.

Mollymauk sat behind the ticket booth screen, head on hand, but perked right up when they saw the group.

“Welcome to Fletching & Moondrop’s,” they said smoothly, their voice slightly distorted by the speaker.

Jester rolled her eyes. “You don’t have to do that for us, Molly.”

“I know, but I thought you might like it,” they replied, breaking out of Customer Service mode with a cheeky grin.

“Yeah, okay, okay, I did,” the blue tiefling giggled.

“Tickets for everyone?”

“Yes, please.”

“Molly, I thought you weren’t working today,” Fjord asked as they began counting out wristbands.

“I wasn’t, but Mona caught something and had to stay home, so I picked up her shift,” they grumbled.

“You still gonna be able to join us, though, right?”

“Oh, definitely, I’m out at five. Which is…..” they leaned back to look at their clock.

“It is 4:07 right now,” Caleb supplied.

“Less than an hour from now,” they finished, shooting Caleb a small smile.

“Ok, how much for the tickets?” Jester asked as she pulled out her purse.

“Friends and family discount is five silver each.”

“I will pay for Nott and myself, Jester, you don’t need to,” Caleb said, pulling out the coins from one of his pockets.

“Are you sure, Caleb, I don’t mind,” she said. Her hand was paused over the pile of coins.

“ _Ja_ , I am sure,” he assured her.

“Well, okay, if that’s what you want,” she shrugged, putting a gold piece back into her pouch.

“Hey, uh, Molly,” Beau asked as the bright purple plastic bands were slid under the window. “Is uh...is Yasha working tonight too?”

“Yasha’s working the arcade til six, so you’ll have to keep your awkward flirting attempts family friendly,” they said with a knowing leer.

“Fuck you, Molly,” she said, trying to suppress a smile.

“Fuck you too, Beau,” they replied with a wide grin.

She just flipped them the bird and held out her wrist for Jester to put on her wristband.

Caleb stepped up to the window and slid the silver pieces under the window.

“Exact change, lucky me,” Mollymauk said, scooping the coins off the counter into their palm before sliding the two purple bands under the window. “I’m giving Nott the bar pass, please don’t make me regret it,” they said to Caleb in a low voice.

“I will make sure she stays on track. Thank you, Mollymauk,” Caleb replied just as quietly.

“Hey, where we meetin’?” Fjord called back as they moved towards the gates.

“I’ll text you,” Molly called back before turning to the next group of people in line.

“You think they could’ve given me the child price,” Nott complained as Caleb looped the thin plastic around her wrist.

“Mollymauk gave you the adult bar pass, which they did not have to, so I wouldn’t push it too much,” Caleb gently reprimanded.

She was chewed on her lip thoughtfully. “You’re right, Caleb, as usual,” she admitted.

Caleb just sighed in exasperated fondness.

“I’m going to find the fried dough place!” Jester announced immediately. “We can stop by the water park too, Fjord, if you want to.”

“Yeah, sounds like a plan. We’ll hang around there til Molly gets out,” the half-orc said before following her bouncing form through the crowd.

“I’m going to the arcade,” Beau said predictably.

“I’ll go with you, Beau,” Nott piped up. “I bet they have a whole bunch of shinies I can win.” She paused and turned to Caleb. “If that’s ok?”

“ _Ja_ , why wouldn’t it be ok? You’re a big girl.”

“You’ll text if you get all-” she made a jittery motion with her hand.

“I will, or I’ll find Jester and Fjord by the water. Go have fun,” he shooed her gently.

“Alright, I’ll see you in a bit then,” she said before scampering after Beau.

Caleb watched the pair walk off for a bit, Beau swinging Nott up onto her shoulders as they entered the more crowded walkway, before turning in the opposite direction to the bar stand. Drink now in hand, he wandered along the row of outdoor games, amusing himself by people-watching and being invisible in the crowd.

He picked a spot against the brick wall, his back to it, having found a candy apple stand, and was slowly eating away at the gooey fruit. The white noise of the crowds surrounding him was more soothing than overwhelming, to his surprise.

“Hey, stranger,” Mollymauk said suddenly at his side, making him jump a bit in shock.

“ _Hallo_ , Molly,” he replied after catching breath.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to startle you,” they apologised.

“No, no, it’s fine. I wasn’t paying attention,” Caleb said quickly.

Mollymauk shook their hair from its ponytail and pulled the bland beige uniform shirt over their horns, making the jewellery jingle. “I think I’ll snag one of those apples as well, be right back,” and they sauntered off to the food court.

Caleb pulled his phone out while he waited, checking to see if anyone had texted. Nott had sent him several blurry pictures of Beau leaning on the counter trying to flirt with Yasha, and a couple selfies of her with large stacks of tickets to the group chat. He looked up to see Mollymauk walking back, gnawing on their own caramel apple.

“Haff you tried amy gamef yet?” they asked through a mouthful of sugar.

“ _Nein_ , not yet, mostly just observing, but I’ve been eyeing that archery one over there.” Caleb pointed to the stall in question, the wall on the left by the employee covered in stuffed animals. On the top row were several stuffed cats and dogs easily the size of Nott. Mollymauk flicked their tail in recognition.

“I’ll see if I can win you one of those big fuckers on top,” they said, finishing their apple.

“Molly, you don’t have to-” Caleb began.

“I know,” they interrupted with a soft smile. “I want to, though.”

Caleb just smiled to himself as he followed them to the booth.

“Alright, I want to get my very good friend here one of those top shelf cats, what do I need to do to make that happen?” Mollymauk asked, leaning over the wooden rail.

“Well, each bullseye gets you one tier up. Get one, get a level one toy, get two, you get the middle shelf, and three gets you those up there,” the teenager said with the dull repetition of someone saying this all day.

“Excellent. How much?”

“Two copper for three shots.”

Mollymauk slides over a silver. “Keep the change.”

The kid’s eyes light up for a brief second before pocketing the coin and handing over the cheap plastic bow and three warped arrows with missing fletching. Molly looked over them for a second before nocking an arrow and giving Caleb a wink. The arrow flew forwards and hit the target with a resounding ‘thwack’, though it was way off to the edge. Mollymauk frowned a bit before nocking the second and third arrows, the last one only just within the second most center ring.

“Can I have another round?” they asked after the arrows were collected.

“You have four more rounds you paid for,” the teenager replied.

“Alright, another round then.”

The arrows were handed over, this time with two of the ‘thwack’s landing in the center circle.

“Second level rewards are right here.”

Mollymauk looked them over with a cursory glance. “I’ll take the plushie sword,” they said.

“Still want another round?”

“I’m getting that cat,” Mollymauk said with a swish of their tail.

“Here,” Caleb said, holding out the two copper coins. “This one’s on me.”

“Caleb, I-” Molly began.

“For luck,” Caleb interrupted, leaving the coins on the railing. “Third time’s the charm, ja?” he said with a smirk.

Mollymauk shook themself from their stupor and took a deep breath, then let loose the arrow.

‘Thwack’. Bullseye.

‘Thwack’. Another bullseye.

‘Thwack’. Third arrow hits.

“Yes!” Molly crowed, pumping a fist in the air. They clapped Caleb on the shoulder after handing back the bow and arrows. “Pick your prize, dear.”

“The, uh, that big orange cat up there,” Caleb told the kid, and they lowered it down with a thin metal hook.

Caleb took it gently and cradled it to his face. The fur was soft and silky without feeling slimy, and the stuffing was just the right balance between plush and firm. This was a good cat.

“Thank you, Molly,” he said faintly, looking up at the tiefling from within the cat’s fur.

“Of course, darling. Now, where’s everyone else?”

“Beau and Nott are at the arcade, and Jester and Fjord are still at the waterpark, I think? I have not gotten any change of plan texts from anyone.”

“Arcade it is, then,” they said, slinging their shirt casually over a tattooed shoulder before falling into step with Caleb as he cradled his new cat to his chest like a shield.

Upon arriving they could see Yasha behind the counter handing out some stickers to a pair of small boys, Beau awkwardly off to the side with her elbow on the wall. As soon as the boys left, Yasha crossed back over to the far wall and resumed conversation with Beau. Nott was nowhere to be seen, which was always unsettling.

“There you are,” Mollymauk called out as soon as they were in hearing distance.

“Hey, Molly.” Yasha looked from the large stuffed cat, to Caleb, to Molly, meeting their gaze in a silent question.

Caleb glanced over to Molly just in time to see the silent response smooth from their features. He looked over at Beau with a furrowed brow, his own silent question. She just shrugged unhelpfully back.

“Hallo, Yasha,” Caleb greeted her instead.

“Hi, Caleb. Where’d you get the cat from?”

“The archery booth, up the hill,” and he pointed in the vague direction of the booths.

“Oh, I got you this, too,” Mollymauk said to Yasha, handing over the sword.

A gentle smile graced her lips. “Thanks, Molly,” she said, leaning it against the back corner out of sight.

Just then Nott came running up, arms heaping and overflowing with folds of blue tickets.

“Caleb, there you are! Oh, hi again, Molly,” she said as she stepped up to the counter. Mollymauk gave a small wave. “Alright, Yasha, I want the big black and white thing in the corner there,” Nott requested.

“The lemur?” Yasha confirmed as she reached up for the stuffed animal.

“Yeah, that. And whatever’s left in those shiny plastic rings.”

Yasha just chuckled and handed over the lemur, and after counting out the remaining tickets pulled out five plastic rings from the 20 ticket bin. Nott gleefully slipped them onto her fingers, cuddling the lemur to her.

“What do you think, Caleb?” she asked, holding out a hand.

“I think you look lovely, _schatz_.”

Nott just smiled, showing off her teeth.

“Nott, how the whole fuck did you get so many tickets, you were fucking terrible at skeeball,” Beau demanded deadpan.

“Language, Beau, there’s kids here,” Yasha quietly reprimanded.

“Fuck, sorry. I mean, shit-” she just covered her mouth with her hand. Mollymauk sputtered quietly behind Caleb, who was burying his own smile in the cat.

“Caleb, now we both have toy familiars!” Nott said, waddling over with her lemur. With the dangling tail it was as long as she was. “I’m gonna name mine Zabu.”

“Zabu? The fu-the heck kinda name is that?” Beau quickly caught herself.

“Well, what else would you name a lemur?” Nott shot back.

“I….that’s a good point.”

“So what’re you gonna name yours, Caleb?” Yasha asked.

“Frumpkin the Second,” Mollymauk offered.

“Frumpkin 2: Electric Boogaloo,” Beau added with a giggle. Caleb just frowned at her, to which she replied with a wide grin and a thumbs up.

“I do not know, maybe Jester will come up with something? I’ll think about it,” he said.

“Speaking of, they still down at the water?” Beau asked.

“As far as I know, yes.”

“When are you off again, Yasha?” Mollymauk asked.

“In about ten minutes or so, I think,” she said hesitantly, checking her watch.

“Yasha,” said the red-headed woman poking her head out from the back office, “if you want to go now I don’t mind, we’re kinda slow now.”

“Hi, Orna,” Mollymauk waved.

“Hi, Molly. Keeping out of trouble?” Orna asked with a raised brow.

“Oh, you know me, as always,” they said with a grand bow. Orna just rolled her eyes and disappeared back into the office with a fond smile.

“Well, that settles that, shall we go meet up with Fjord and Jester then?” Beau asked.

Everyone nodded in agreement, Yasha quickly shucking off her own beige shirt and throwing on a casual tee. Beau definitely did not turn a darker shade of brown as she did so.

“Nott, do you want to ride on my shoulders?” Yasha offered. Nott nodded with glee, yellow eyes gleaming. The aasimar knelt so she could clamber up with ease before straightening again, Nott arranging Zabu’s tail so it trailed with the rest of her hair over her shoulder.

“Yasha, you almost match!” she exclaimed. “Are you secretly part lemur?” she whispered conspiratorially.

Yasha smiled affectionately as she ducked under the beams of the building to avoid hitting the goblin in the head. “No, Nott, I’m not part lemur. I’m not sure that would really work.”

“Hmm, I suppose you’re right,” Nott said somewhat dejectedly.

“So, hey, you never answered my question about the tickets,” Beau reminded Nott.

“Oh, right. Those. Well, you know how I’ve been practising picking those old locks I found?”

Caleb sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “ _Götten verdammt_ ,” he muttered.

“I may have gotten at the ticket machine and I may have taken some rolls of tickets without actually winning them and I may have just spent those on Zabu,” she concluded.

“Yasha, you don’t seem mad,” Mollymauk commented.

She just shrugged. “I’m off the clock, it’s not my problem now.”

Molly barked a laugh. “Gods, if that isn’t a mood,” they laughed.

They descended the slope into the waterpark, looking for the blue and green forms of their friends in the equally colourful crowd. Eventually they spotted Jester over at the ice cream stand with a towering cone in her hands, Fjord with a modest dish. Even at this distance they could all see the half-orc trying not to blush at the sight of Jester eating.

Jester was the first to spot them, giving a frantic wave that almost toppled her ice cream tower. She nudged Fjord before running up the rest of the way to meet them.

“Hi, guys! Oh my gosh, Caleb that cat is so cute! Where’s Nott? Is that a lemur on Yasha’s head? Did you replace Nott with a _lemur_?!” she babbled as she got closer, her voice growing in volume.

“Jester, no need to shout,” Fjord reminded her gently.

“Right, sorry.”

“Jester, it’s me,” Nott said from behind Zabu.

“Did you turn Nott _into_ the lemur?!”

“Jes-”

“No, he’s my new friend, I got him at the arcade!” Nott said proudly, ducking from behind the toy.

“He’s so cute! Just like you!” Jester proclaimed.

“Well, I don’t know about that…” Nott mumbled, hiding in the white fur.

“Nott,” Jester said firmly. “You are cute and adorable and we love you and I won’t hear a word otherwise.”

“I agree, _schatz_ ,” Caleb said up to her.

“Well, if Caleb says so, then it must be true,” Mollymauk said.

Nott glared at them suspiciously for a second, then relented when she found no sarcasm.

“Caleb, what’s your cat’s name?” Jester asked as they continued into the park.

“I do not have one yet, we were hoping you would have some suggestions?”

Her blue eyes went wide. “OH MY GODS YES ok so there’s Sprinkles, or Creamsicle, or Muffin, or Candy Corn or-”

“Eh, maybe something that’s not food?” Caleb asked hesitantly.

She folded her arms. “Well, then I don’t know if I’ll be able to help you,” she said stubbornly.

“We’ll think about it, group effort, _ja_?” Caleb offered.

“Okay, I guess,” she huffed before brightening back up. “So, who wants to go on the log ride?”

“I think I’ll sit this one out,” Nott said immediately. “I don’t want to get Zabu all wet,” she added unnecessarily.

“I think I will as well,” Caleb seconded. “I don’t like the super fast drop ones so much.”

“I’ll go with you, Jester,” Yasha said, gently lowering Nott to the ground.

“So will I,” Beau immediately said, glancing at Yasha.

“Well, we only get four to a log so…” she trailed off.

“I’ll sit this one out, you four have fun,” Mollymauk said.

“Okay, make sure to get pictures, though!” Jester called, taking Fjord’s hand and strolling over to the log line.

“Over here’s the best spot for splash pictures,” Mollymauk said, leading Caleb and Nott over to the metal railing and leaning against it.

Nott hopped up to sit on the fence and snapped a few pictures of them getting strapped in before getting yelled at by security. Caleb adjusted his hold on his stuffed cat so he could lean on his elbows to watch, Molly copying his position.

“Pumpkin,” they said suddenly as their friends’ log launched from the line.

“What?” “ _Was_?”

“Pumpkin,” they repeated. “For your cat. You’ll have Frumpkin and Pumpkin.” They grinned at the two.

“That was horrible,” Nott said.

Mollymauk grinned wider and leaned their head on their hand. “Wasn’t it?”

Caleb propped up the stuffed cay on the railing. “What do you think, hm?” The plastic eyes stared back unspeaking. “He says that he thinks it’s cute,” he informed Mollymauk.

Mollymauk’s grin softened to a more genuine one. “I’m glad he likes it,” they said, red eyes never leaving Caleb.

Caleb hid his growing blush in Pumpkin’s forehead. “I think that is them going up the slide,” he said instead, readying his camera. Nott pulled hers out as well, aiming at the bottom of the track. Their friends went down with a mighty splash, water arcing gracefully to the sides as they landed. All four of them were shaking like wet dogs as they circled around, waving.

The trio waved back, and Caleb felt a tail gently wrap around his calf.

**Author's Note:**

> W O W this got away from me. 
> 
> Bonus points if you get the reference ;)
> 
> I'm on [tumblr](https://lilbittymonster.tumblr.com) if you want to say hi :)


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